Stocking and method of production



Feb. 3, 1948. E. B. BEACHAM 7 2,435,489

STOCKING AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION HI I"! l" I i 111 F F7612. I

W1 TNESSES v I N VEN TOR:

I BY ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 3, 1948. E. B. BEACHAM 294359439 STOCKING AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION Filed Aug. 14, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: idwmfiimifieaafialzz, I BY W W ATTORNEYS.

Patented F ch. 3, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STOCKING AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION Edwin Brand Beacham, Easton, Pa.

Application August 14, 1945, Serial No. 610,744

9 Claims. (01. 66-187) This invention relates to stockings, particularly fashioned stockings formed by seaming of continuously knit fiat selvaged blanks, and also to methods of producing such stockings.

The chief aims of my invention are to improve the fit of stockings of the sort referred to, more especially with a view toward precluding the sleazy fit and wrinkling of the ankle tops characteristic of the continuously knit stockings generally known as single unit or round heel stockings now being made in large quantities; and to provide a simple and expeditious method of knitting by which the above drawbacks or difiiculties are overcome.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a View in side elevation of the foot portion of a fashioned stocking conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 shows the foot portion of the flat knitted blank from which the stocking is formed,

Fig. 3 is a spread-out diagrammatic view showing the interloopment along the diagonal suture of one of the heel cheeks of the blank; and

Fig. 4 is a View like Fig. 1 showing a modification.

From Figs. 1 and 2 of these illustrations it will be observed that my improved stocking is characterized by having vertically-elongate oblong heel cheeks ABGE and CD-FI-I respectively defined by narrowed and widened triangular complemental upper and lower gores AB-E, DC--F and E-B-G, FCH which are united by diagonal sutures E-B and F-C.

The leg and ankle portions of the stocking blank (Fig. 2) are knitted in the usual way on a straight knitting machine of the Cotton type to the course ABCD from a single main yarn, or, if desired, from plural main yarns of the same count or gauge employed in recurrent succession as ordinarily practiced in ringless knitting. In the knitting of the heel cheeks which immediately ensues, the main yarn may be used in fashioning one of the heel cheeks, and a separate yarn in fashioning the other heel cheek. If ringless knitting is practiced, such separate yarn may be one of the several other main yarns, After the line A--BCD is reached, knitting is suspended on the instep needles between the points E and C, and narrowing resorted to in the concurrent fashioning of the upper heel gores AB-E and DFC by progressively decreasing the traverse of the carriers for the two yarns in every other course by two loops as at It] in Fig. 3 to the line E-BCF,

what short of the selvage edges of the blank as shown. After completion of the upper heel gores in the manner explained, the procedure is reversed, that is to say, progressive widening is resorted to in concurrently forming the complemental lower heel gores EB--G and CFI-I by gradually increasing the inward traverse of the carriers for the two yarn to the line G-BC-H. However, during this widening phase, the traverse of the carriers is increased by two needles in every fourth course and at every second course in alternation as indicated at H and I2 in Fig. 3. After completion of the heel cheek at the line GBC-I-I, knitting is resumed on all the needles and the foot portion of the blank formed in the conventional way or in any other suitable manner, If desired, or found expedient, the heel cheeks may be reinforced by interknitting splicing or plating yarns with the main yarns as generally customary in the art.

Due to the method of fashioning herein disclosed, it will be evident that I secure a much fuller heel and higher pocket and hence a' better fitting stocking in which the foot is disposed more nearly at right angles to the leg, than is possible of attainment with the practice recently followed in the production of the so-called continuously knitted round heel or single unit stockings.

The modified stocking of Fig. 4 i produced by following the procedur above set forth except that a few full width courses I3 are run in (either plain or ringless as the case maye be) after completion of the upper heel gores and before commencement of the lower heel gores, with resultant formation of double parallel sutures E-B and E'B as shown, and with consequent slight increase in the length of the ankle top.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A stocking having a vertically disposed oblong heel pocket with complemental triangular upper and lower gores at each side united by a diagonal suture, the fabric of each upper gore being narrowed by at least one needle loop in uniformly spaced courses, and each lower gore being widened by at least one needle loop in differently spaced courses some by a distance greater than in the first gore.

2. A stocking having a vertically disposed oblong heel pocket with oomplemental triangular upper and lower gores at each side united by a diagonal suture, the fabric of each upper gore being narrowed by two needle loops in every other course, and each lower gore being widened ing widened by at least one needle loop indifiep ently spaced courses, some by a distance. greater than in thefirst gore.

4. A flat knitted salvaged stocking blank havand forming the lower gores by widening to the :=extent-;of; atrleastrone needle loop each time in ing, at each side thereof, a vertically disposed oblong heel cheek with c-omplemental triangular upper and lower gores united by a diagonal suture,

the fabric of each upper gore being-narrowed'by forming the lower gores by widening to the eittent of two needle loops in courses respectively spaced by four and two in alternation.

8. The method of producing a flat knitted selvaged stocking blank having, at each side thereof, a vertically disposed oblong heel cheek with complemental triangular upper and lower gores united by a diagonal gore, which method comprises, with use of separate yarns for the two cheeks", thestep "of respectively forming the upper gores by narrowing to the extent o'fat-least one needle loop each time in uniformly'spaced courses,

diiierently spaced courses some by a greater dis- 1 -tancethan in the upper gores.

at least one needle loop in -uniformly.:-,spaced 3 courses, and each lower go'rebeingwidenedfby at least one needle loop .in differently spaced courses some by a distance greater than in the upper gore.

-5.-A"flat knitted selvaged stocking blank having, -at eachside thereof, verticallyv disposed oblong .heel cheeks with complemental J triangular upper and lower goresunited-by a diagonal suture, the fabric-of each upper gore-section being narrowed. by two needleloopsin every-other :course, and the iabric of each lower gore'being'widened by two. needle loops incourses respectively spaced by four and two in alternation.

6. The method of producing a knittedstocking having, at each side thereof, averticallydisposed oblong heel cheek with .complemental triangular upper and lower gore s unitedby a diagonalsuture, which method comprises the step of :respectively forming the upper Igor-esby narrowing, by the extent of at Ieast-onemeedle loop in uniforn' ly spaced courses, andforming the lower gores'respectively by Widening to v the extent "of .atleaSt one needle loop in differently-spaced (courses some by a greater distance than 1 in the. upper gores. 1

' 7. The method of producing. a knitted stocking having at-each'sidethereof, a vertically disposed oblong heel cheek with-complemental triangular tent of two needlejloops ineveryrothercourse,land

-. by a diagonal gore, which method comprises, -with use-of. separate yarns for; the :two cheeks,;the

stepvof respectively forming the-upper goresiby narrowing to theeextentof-two needle loops in everyothercourse, and forming the'lower gores by widening-to the extent of .two needle loops in coursesrespectively spaced- ,by two and four in alternation. r

r EDWIN-BRANDBEACHAM.

. REFERENCES,v CITED The following references care of :record :in.;the file rofhthis' patent:

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Number :Name I 1 Date Re; 2.1428 McNary. "Eeb; 17,- 1857 1,114,538 Scott Oct; 20,1 11914 .,1,117,934 ZWest Nov; 17; 1914 1,782,007 1.. LeFiGorre -Nov,.18;' 1930 1,789,494 :.:Bage Jan. 20,1931

.:1;978;307 Heinitz Got. 23,- .1934

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. ,"FOREIG'N PATENTS Number Country Date 7 399,010 i.Great- Britain Sept;-28, 1933 

